Haaland and Cherki bag braces to guide Man City to sweeping victory over Crystal Palace

[p]With Pierre Sage in the Palace hot seat for the first time at Selhurst Park, the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/crystal-palace/AovF1Mia/"]Eagles[/a] nearly made a dream start inside two minutes, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nketiah-edward/4hhsd84m/"]Eddie Nketiah[/a]’s angled effort was saved at the near post by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/donnarumma-gianluigi/WScbdXmL/"]Gianluigi Donnarumma[/a].[/p][p]That sparked the visitors into life, and they went close themselves shortly after, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/anderson-elliott/KdYCbsbE/"]Elliot Anderson[/a] seeing a long-range strike parried away by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/henderson-dean/OpFOJojt/"]Dean Henderson[/a] before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/haaland-erling/UmV9iQmE/"]Erling Haaland[/a]’s rebound was blocked in the six-yard box.[/p][image alt="Momentum" id="9bb18791-830d-4c15-8dab-a270daf7f9b3" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="6d26965e-896b-4dd5-9232-68bb545cbcff" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][b]Not to be denied, the Norwegian talisman broke the deadlock for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]City[/a] in the 17th minute, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/semenyo-antoine/r1Gz1yPk/"]Antoine Semenyo[/a]’s inswinging delivery was expertly directed into the top corner by Haaland for his first goal of the new campaign.[/b][/p][p]Having gone unbeaten in all seven of their PL away games in London last season (W4, D3), the Cityzens should’ve doubled their lead before the half-hour mark, only for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/foden-phil/E7XjDJns/"]Phil Foden[/a] to twice miss the target with glorious chances in the box.[/p][p]Palace remained a threat at the other end, though, and Sage’s men went close to an equaliser before HT, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mitchell-tyrick/tbyIjQ0h/"]Tyrick Mitchell[/a] glanced a free header wide at the back post.[/p][p][b]City started the second period on the front foot, and their attacking intent was rewarded with a second goal in the 54th minute when Foden picked out [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cherki-mathis/vm0eu2V3/"]Cherki[/a], who jinked his way past a couple of challenges before rolling a composed finish beyond Henderson.[/b][/p][image alt="Cherki celebrates scoring" id="9e49e045-7b3a-4dbf-b705-fa6d38e37c11" credit-line="ČTK / imago sportfotodienst / IMAGO" guid="90601734-b7e4-419a-b064-83863df19471" original-width="1400" original-height="933" /][p][b]The visitors’ two-goal advantage was short-lived, however, as a stunning long-range free-kick from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/santos-yeremi/8fnHDvMe/"]Yéremy Pino[/a] cannoned off the post and against the back of Donnarumma to give Palace a route back into the contest.[/b][/p][p][b]Undeterred, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maresca-enzo/nJsvYDRG/"]Enzo Maresca[/a]’s side restored their cushion shortly before the hour mark, with Cherki’s powerful strike from range taking a nick off [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/richards-chris/fVGFlDh2/"]Chris Richards[/a] and flying into the top corner.[/b][/p][p]That proved to be a killer blow for the hosts’ chances of mounting a comeback, as City took control of proceedings, introducing new signing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bouaddi-ayyoub/dpoNasPg/"]Ayyoub Bouaddi[/a] for his debut in the final 10 minutes.[/p][image alt="Key match stats" id="2e5eb17c-eadc-4279-836d-08afd52d8236" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="32c549db-ff77-47cd-8583-9f8abfadcf5e" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][b]The visitors added late gloss to the scoreline through Haaland, who finished emphatically into the roof of the net from a clever Foden pass, extending the Eagles’ winless run in the PL to nine matches (D2, L6).[/b][/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cherki-mathis/vm0eu2V3/"]Rayan Cherki[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]Manchester City[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/crystal-palace-AovF1Mia/manchester-city-Wtn9Stg0/?mid=C0b6Sk9l"]Catch up on the match here[/a][/b][/p]